


My Little Monster

by italianice15



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Crowley is a good uncle, M/M, mentions of mpreg, sad sometimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:32:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7614664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/italianice15/pseuds/italianice15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Castiel have a child that everyone else wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was late in the evening as Castiel paced back and forth, fervently biting at his thumbnail. His piercing blue eyes were glued to the floor as horrible thoughts sped around his mind. His trench coat whipped behind him like a cape when he made swift, sharp turns. He heard the door to the bunker open and he stopped short in his tracks.

" Hey, Cas. Didn't know you'd be here.", Sam greeted politely, patting the angel on the back, while Dean went to the kitchen for some food. Castiel only returned Sam's kindness with a soft, genuine smile. He then noticed that the Winchester brothers were covered in blood. Certainly not an unusual sight, but slightly unsettling when paired with the news on Castiel's mind. 

" Hey, babe. Something the matter?", Dean came back with a sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other.

" That depends. What are your thoughts on...children?", he asked cautiously. Dean cocked a light brown eyebrow, but thought the question over for a moment.

" Kids are cool, I guess. I mean, Sammy wasn't that bad. Though, I haven't really been around any kids since. Why?", Dean tilted his head to the side. The little bit of courage that Castiel had built up, for reasons unknown, flew it the window. 

" Never mind.", he said flatly and was suddenly gone.

" Hey, everything alright?", Sam asked.

" Uh, sure.", Dean said, far too used to Castiel vanishing for no reason. 

" Well, anyway, I'm gonna go shower.", Sam looked at his crimson speckled skin and clothes.

" Alright, I'll clean up when you're done.", Dean sat down at the table and finished his small meal.

\--

Castiel continued pacing outside a large library. His breaths were erratic and his thumb was soon wedged between his teeth again. He recognized this as a nervous habit possessed by many humans. Maybe a personality trait left by Jimmy. Shoving the small distraction from his brain, he stopped and looked at the library. He walked up the many steps to the front doors. There weren't many people inside, thankfully. He opened the tall, glass doors and received a warm smile from the older woman at the front desk.

" Hello, sir. Can I help you look for anything?", she asked. Castiel shook his head and politely refused. There were signs that directed him to his desired section of the library. Fortunately, the section was quite extensive and there were many books based on the subject matter in question. By the time the librarian came to tell him that the library was closing, he had read ten books and had six more in a pile on the tabletop beside him. 

" If you like, you can check them out and bring them back.", she offered. This time, Castiel nodded and followed her back to the front desk. Once he left, he had no idea where to go. He couldn't go back to the bunker and, given his...delicate condition, he couldn't go to Heaven. He thought and decided that he had always wanted to visit France.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I got the translations from Google Translate and my very limited knowledge of the French language. 
> 
> Ce sera tout?- Is that all?
> 
> Merci beaucoup- Thank you very much
> 
> Vous voilà- Here you are
> 
> Attrape-moi si tu peux- Catch me if you can
> 
> Je vais the prendre- I'm gonna get you

Dean quickly became worried when days turned into weeks without any words from Castiel. Sam reassured him hourly that Castiel was fine, but Dean, naturally, thought differently. He stayed up and prayed, called, and threw himself into darker thoughts. This concerned Sam, so he thought it best to distract his older brother with some of the more outrageous jobs that came onto his radar. They drove all over the country, but Castiel was always placed firmly in the back of his mind, as well as Castiel's question about children. When they were done killing whatever monster they were hunting, Dean paid closer attention to the families. One job in particular caught his eye. A demon had possessed a man and he killed many people all over town and he tried to murder his family. Of course, when Sam was done exorcizing the demon, the man didn't survive. Usually, this is the part where Sam and Dean leave and never look back. This time, however, Dean watched the newly widowed woman console her crying children. She held one, her only daughter, close to her chest while the other two, her sons, looked at their father's lifeless body strapped to one of their dining room chairs. Dean wanted to extend his condolences, but he knew it was best to leave. Sam searched up and down the entire internet for strange happenings, but there were none that couldn't be explained away with logical reasoning. With a sigh, the younger Winchester, then, prepared himself for a sulking, borderline insufferable Dean. 

\--

Castiel read the last book he had checked out from the library. He was seated outside a small French café. With every word he read, he became increasingly discouraged about his near future. He then laid his eyes on his barely noticeable bump. His ruffled, unkept suit and trench coat hid his pregnancy splendidly. Despite all the information he had gathered about his child's kind, he couldn't help the smile that graced his features. He was entering his second trimester already. This was a nerve racking time, his stomach would grow much more now. Plus, he occupied a human vessel that was not exactly equipped to handle childbirth, and his child was half human and needed proper sustenance to survive. In fluent French, he called over a waiter and ordered some soup. 

" Ce sera tout?", the waiter asked.

" Oui, merci beaucoup.", Castiel replied. He continued to read the book in front of him. All he had gathered from the sixteen books he'd read was that nephilims, half human-half angel children, were dangerous, destructive creatures that were completely against Heaven's law. He also learned that beings from Hell coveted the monsters. No one could control a nephilim, however. They were ruthless, reckless, and indestructible. Though, Castiel was sure that the information was correct for most nephilims, he refused to think that his child would turn out like that. He was carrying the best child in this world and any other, after all. And no one would ever call his child a nephilim and if they did, they'd have all the wrath of an angel of the Lord to deal with, plus that of the child's father and uncle. The father. The father of his child. Oh God, Dean didn't even know. Dragging Castiel from his quickly spiraling thoughts, the waiter came back with Castiel's soup.

" Vous voilà.", he said, placing the bowl in front of Castiel.

" Merci.", Castiel ate the soup slowly while he watched people walk about the city. He saw a group of children throwing bread crumbs to ducks into a pond. He smiled and placed a hand over his abdomen. It was then that he made a decision. He loved Dean, and Dean knew that. Dean loved Castiel, and Castiel knew that. However, if push came to shove and Castiel would have to raise this should on his own, he would. Without concern or complaint, he would raise this child as best he could. It wouldn't be easy, he wasn't expecting it to be, but Heaven and Hell would likely be hunting him down and he couldn't bare to abandon an innocent life to fend for itself against them. 

" Attrape-moi si tu puex!"

" Je vais te prendre!", he listened to the children, who were now running down the sidewalk, laugh. Yeah, maybe he could be a parent.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam watched helplessly as Dean lazily flipped through a magazine. His eyes weren't looking at the pages, his hands just needed something to do. One whole month had passed without contact from Castiel. In that time, Dean had become quiet, lethargic, and even more bull-headed than he already was. 

" Hey Dean, you wanna go get some pizza?", Sam suggested. He got no reply, so left the bunker by himself to pick up their dinner. Dean turned page after page after page until he reached the end of the magazine. There was a breeze that blew across the bunker. It blew papers off tables and ruffled Dean's hair. Faster than Dean would ever admit, he left his sorrowful state and rose so quickly from his seat that he knocked it over.

" Cas.", he said breathlessly. He looked his angel up and down, noticing some differences that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He looked at Castiel from the front, as he'd done countless times before, but this time the angel seemed fuller somehow. Dean noticed it the most in his cheeks. Another slight difference was how he had his trench coat buttoned, but the fabric seemed strained. Seeing these things as problems for another time, Dean stepped closer to Castiel, shocked when the angel responded by distancing himself further. 

" Where have you been?", Dean furrowed his brow.

" Paris.", Castiel answered, something like worry evident in his tone. 

" Why the hell were you in Paris?"

" I had nowhere else to go.", Castiel stated, wondering if he would regret his decision to tell Dean about their child. By how quickly Dean was becoming frustrated, this might have been a bad call.

" You could've come here! You always come here. You always come to me. Why did you leave for so long without one word?", Dean barked. Castiel did see the flaw in his plan to get some alone time and come to terms with his situation. Maybe he should have called Dean once in a while. 

" Dean, there is something I need to tell you."

" I got something to tell you, too. I- "

" I'm pregnant, Dean.", Castiel interrupted his rant before it could start. Dean's mouth hung open and several emotions ran across his face. His green eyes fell on Castiel's stomach and, now that he was closer, he saw the large swell.

" H-How?", was all he said.

" Angels have no definite gender. Though I occupy a male vessel, my body has seemed to- ", there was a dull thud on the floor. Castiel wished he had the ability to bend down and lift heavy things, like his lover's dead weight. Instead, he brought over a chair from the table nearby, went to the kitchen and found some leftover takeout that didn't make him nauseous, and sat beside Dean.

\--

Everything was blurry. His head hurt and the floor was cold and he felt his bed and blankets around him. Maybe, he had a bad dream. Castiel couldn't be pregnant. Angels didn't have kids, did they. Though, he knew that wasn't true, Dean hoped it was all just a dream. His vision soon cleared and he heard quiet, muffled voices in the other room. From what he could tell, it sounded like a pleasant conversation between Sam and Castiel. He tossed the blankets aside and headed into the main room of the bunker, where his brother and his boyfriend were.

" Hey, Dean.", Sam said. Dean saw that Castiel was facing Sam, so he couldn't immediately check if his bad dream was real or not. 

" Hey, Sammy. You get that pizza?", he asked, wondering if it was just a fuzzy memory from the dream.

" Yeah, you better hurry, Cas might eat it all.", Sam joked. A sneaking suspicion ran up Dean's spine as he stopped dead in his tracks. When did Castiel start eating? He hated food. Tentatively, he took slow steps to Sam's side. There it was. The swollen belly he hoped wouldn't be there. 

" Feeling better, Dean?", Castiel asked sweetly. Dean felt sick, his head felt a little hazy. He looked at Sam, who seemed perfectly aware with their tension and was completely fine with it. Dean guessed he would be, he had to deal with years on unresolved sexual tension. Why would this be different?

" You idjits got any beer?", came a shout from the kitchen. 

" Yeah, Bobby. Second shelf in the door.", Sam responded, then went back to looking between Dean and Castiel expectantly. Bobby soon came into the main room and sat next to Sam at the table. As Sam said he would, Castiel polished off the whole pizza.

" So Cas, how was your time in France?", Sam asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

" It was pleasant. I went to many restaurants, saw many things."

" You see the Eiffel Tower?", Bobby inquired.

" I did. It was...very pretty.", hearing the casual conversation made Dean's blood boil. How on Earth could they be talking about France when Castiel was pregnant with Dean's child. It wasn't even a child, it was a nephilim and, though his knowledge about such beings was very limited, he knew for sure that they were evil. Apparently, Bobby noticed his facial expression getting angrier as the seconds flew by. 

" Dean, don't make that face, it'll stick that way. Sit down before you pass out again.", Bobby chastised.

" Why is no one talking about the fact that Cas is pregnant.", he stiffly gestured to Castiel's stomach. Sam, Castiel, and Bobby exchanged looks. 

" We talked a little bit about it. We wanted to wait until you woke up to get into detail. I did do some research, though.", Sam spoke up after a minute of deadly silence. 

" I thought it would be best to have you here, since you are the father.", Castiel said. Hearing the word 'father' made everything that Dean had ever eaten in his whole life want to make a reappearance in the middle of the bunker. His stomach clenched and he felt light headed again.

" I told you to sit down, Dean.", Bobby repeated.

" I gotta get out of here.", Dean mumbled and climbed the stairs to the door. Castiel watched Dean leave. Then, he felt a sensation that humans described as heartbreak when the sound of the door shutting echoed through the silent bunker. His blue eyes burned and he felt liquid running down his cheeks. He had experienced this before and recognized them as mood swings. Placing his hand over his belly, something he did a lot these days, he felt a kick against his hand. Sobs racked through his body and he felt and heard Sam and Bobby's efforts to calm him down. 

" H-He doesn't love m-me anymore!", he cried.

" No, Cas. It's just a lot to take in. Of course he loves you.", Bobby consoled the angel.

" Then why did he get so angry?"

" It's just his default mode, Cas.", Sam held Cas' hands. It was a whole fifteen minutes before Castiel stopped crying. His eyes were beginning to droop and he made his way to Dean's room. He opened up the dressers in search of something soft to wear. He found pajamas and spread out on his back on the queen-sized mattress. He found it hard to sleep, as his back was in pain and he felt the need to have every soft thing in the bunker within reach. Sam helped him with his quest as Bobby chuckled and read some books off the shelves. Pillows from other bedrooms were all that Cas could get himself. His distended stomach made it difficult to carry anything else. Sam made many trips back and forth from the bedroom however. He brought spare blankets from the closet and couch cushions, he even gave Cas one of Dean's jackets when he asked for it. Soon, the angel was asleep and Sam joined Bobby again.

" What are we going to do?", Sam asked.

" Let Cas and Dean raise this kid."

" What if Dean doesn't want the kid? What if the kid turns out to be- "

" Cas wouldn't let that happen. I've read up on things like...angel-human babies and the only thing I see that linked them with the chaos they brought was that Heaven and Earth wanted them dead and Hell was the only place that wanted them.", Bobby explained. Sam nodded, seeing the older man's point. 

" It's getting late. You staying over?"

" I might as well. Seems you'll need some help until Dean gets his head out of his ass."

" I think he'll be back soon. He loves Cas too much to be gone for too long. Plus, I've been waiting a long time for him to get his head out of his ass."

" Haven't we all?"


	4. Chapter 4

Dean was gone for three days. That was  
seventy-two whole hours of Castiel crying, yelling, eating, sleeping, crying again, and eating some more. Sam and Bobby put up with the angel as best they knew how. Sam read that the mood swings and craving would lessen in the third trimester and, if his math was correct, Castiel was nearing the end of his fifth month. Sure, Castiel didn't exactly know when the child was conceived, but the estimation was close enough. 

" Morning, Cas.", Sam rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

" Good morning, Sam.", Castiel shoved his hand into a large bowl of potato chips and stuffed them all in his mouth. Crumbs fell on his chin and shirt. Sam noticed that it was Dean's ACDC shirt. Over the passed three days, Castiel lived in Dean's clothes. It was sweet, Sam guessed, until he burst into tears because 'the shirt smelled like Dean and Dean wasn't here anymore because he didn't love Castiel anymore and it was all so horrible'. 

" You get any sleep last night?", Sam inquired. He knew the angel didn't need sleep, but the baby did.

" Yes, a few hours. The baby kept kicking and it woke me up. I walked around for a while after that, then decided to watch the television. The man on the map said it was going to rain today.", Castiel said, not taking his eyes off the screen. Sam nodded, acknowledging the weather report. 

" You know where Bobby is? I checked in the spare room he was in last night and he wasn't there."

" In the kitchen. He's making breakfast.", Castiel answered through a mouth full of potato chips. Sam nodded again, then turned his attention back to the tv. Castiel was watching Animal Planet. There was an hour long documentary about different animals in Africa. Castiel seemed to enjoy the leopards, but found the hippos quite unsettling. He had many questions about hyenas, forcing Sam to retrieve his laptop and do a few quick Google searches. The British accented voice over started talking about lions when Bobby came out of the kitchen with eggs, bacon, a pile of toast, and some fruit cut into cubes, as requested by Castiel. He set it all on the table and called Castiel and Sam over. Setting his bowl of crumbs aside, it took him a minute or two to get up from the couch. Sam noticed how the angel had to lean back just a little bit when he walked. 

" Wow, Bobby. I didn't think we had all this in the kitchen.", Sam sat down.

" You didn't. Went to the store earlier this morning. If Cas is gonna stay here, you gotta keep that kitchen stocked.", he said pointedly. Cas threw a glare at Bobby.

" What? You got a living thing inside you. It needs to eat, too.", he defended.

" He is not a 'thing', he is my child.", Castiel fired back. 

" He?", Sam raised an eyebrow.

" The energy feels masculine, though the feeling wavers sometimes.", Castiel shoveled eggs and cubed watermelon and cantaloupe onto his plate. Sam and Bobby shared a look. 

" Cas, I got a question.", Bobby looked at the angel. Castiel looked at him, straightened his posture, and listened closely.

" Now, know something first. I'm not saying this will happen, this it just hypothetical. If the kid, IF, he turned out to be...like all the others, what do we do.", Sam was shocked at the question when he had asked Bobby the same one and was told not to worry about it. Castiel ran his hand over his belly for a bit before he looked at Bobby again. 

" He won't.", he said simply. It took everything he had in him for Bobby not to ask again. Instead, they made light, steady conversation and finished their breakfast. Sam put away the dishes, while a as and Bobby sat back in front of the tv. Sam took this as the opportunity to try and call his brother one more time. Again, he went to voicemail. Sam knew, well hoped, Dean would come home when he got himself together. It was only a matter of time, right?

\--

Dean stood in the infant section in a Wal-Mart. In his left hand was a blue onesie with green turtles and in his right hand was a pink onesie with yellow bumblebees. How was he going to show Castiel that he wanted their baby by buying the wrong colored onesie. Not that colors were gender specific. Dean would be fine if he had a son that wore pink, or a daughter that wore blue. Still, the whole baby clothes thing stressed him out more than it probably should have. He put them both back on the rack and walked around little bit more. He saw bottles, formula, diapers, all the things he would need soon. Then, on another clothing rack, he saw a cute, gender neutral, panda bear onesie. It brought an unashamed smile to his face. He picked it up, along with some more practical baby supplies, and checked out. He put his purchases in the back seat of the Impala. He drove into the late evening to the bunker. When he opened the door, panda onesie in hand, he saw Bobby and Sam at the table in the main room. They were reading, both absorbed in their respective books. They must have heard him coming down the steps because their heads whipped up and their faces showed unimpressed expressions when they saw him. 

" Yeah, yeah, I'm a dick, I know. Where's Cas?"

" He's asleep already.", Bobby turned back to his book. Dean didn't want to waste any time, but still wanted to be quiet, so he broke into a steady jog toward his room. He saw Castiel laying on, more like against, a pile of pillows and cushions and wrapped in his jacket. He saw the angel's arms resting over his belly. Dean neared him silently. He sat on the bed and watched Castiel's eyelids flicker as he slept. Dean looked away and ran his fingers over the onesie for the billionth time since he bought it. 

" Lay down.", came a gruff, tired voice. Castiel, now barely awake, tugged at Dean's sleeve. Dean complied and Castiel was immediately asleep on his shoulder. Sleep found Dean easily that night, unlike the nights he was gone, where he stayed awake with nothing but tormented thoughts. Now, he was back with his angel and his baby. Maybe, this wouldn't be so bad after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam sat in a chair next to Castiel as he looked through a book of baby names. Sam had his laptop out, looking just as hard as Castiel was.

" What about Aiden? It means 'warm'.", Sam suggested. Castiel looked up, seeming to let the name roll over in his head for a little bit. 

" Perhaps.", he said before looking back at the book. On the nightstand, Sam had a notebook with three columns: Yes, Maybe, and No. Currently, there were no names in the Yes and No columns and seventeen names in the Maybe column. He wrote down 'Aiden' and continued to scroll.

" Lucas.", Castiel said. Sam looked up at him.

" Do you think Dean would like that name?", he asked Sam.

" Yeah, I guess. Sounds like a good name.", Sam shrugged.

" Where is Dean anyway?"

" They're buying more baby stuff.", Sam answered, still looking at his laptop. The next twenty minutes were dead silent. He and Castiel were absorbed in their search for baby names when they heard the door to the bunker open. 

" We're home!", Bobby called out, but his voice sounded strained. Sam shot out of his chair and Castiel followed as fast as he could. When he got to the main room, he was met with the sight of Dean and Bobby carefully attempting to get a rather large box down the stairs without falling. He saw Sam standing, not quite sure what to do. Finally, the younger Winchester had an idea. Perhaps, not a good idea, but it was a little better than what they were doing at the moment.

" Hey, push it over the railing and I'll catch it.", he said. Dean looked down at his brother like he had seven heads.

" You're the smart one?"

" Wait, Dean. He's tall, I bet he could catch it.", Bobby said, clearly fed up with trying to walk it down the stairs. 

" Let's just get to a lower point.", Dean relented. When he deemed it fit, he and Bobby pushed the massive box over the railing and, with what might they had left, lowered it to Sam. Sam held the box, surprised when it was much lighter than Dean and Bobby made it seem.

" Cas, don't carry the box.", he heard Dean bark. He looked to the right and saw Castiel helping him. Sam quickly moved the box to the table. Castiel trailing close behind. Dean and Bobby were there soon after.

" Dammit, Cas! How many times do I have to tell you not to-"

" Strain myself.", Castiel finished harshly. Dean's green eyes grew dark.

" Hey, that's my kid in there and I don't want anything bad happening to him because you can't sit still."

" I can sit still, Dean. I've been sitting still for three and a half months! I am an angel of the Lord, not a housewife. I'm not meant to be-"

" Hey, hey, calm down Cas. Sit down for a minute.", Sam guided Castiel to a chair. He huffed, but complied with a glare.

" It's not like you can walk around in public. People don't see a pregnant dude everyday.", Dean argued.

" But I'm suffocating, Dean. I've counted every book in this bunker 143 times. Do you want to know how many grains of salt there are in the salt shakers, or how many stitches there are in your favorite blanket? I've counted them, all of them. I have watched numerous documentaries on marine life and watched women say yes to wedding dresses and chefs make food that I can't eat and-", Castiel was stopped by a burst of pain. He hissed and grasped his stomach.

" Cas, babe, you alright?", Dean immediately knelt by his side. It was a moment before Castiel got his bearings again.

" Yes, I'm fine. I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for a few days. They're happening more frequently now.", Castiel gasped.

" I think that means you're in labor.", Bobby spoke up. With all the sass he could muster, Castiel looked Bobby dead in his eyes.

" I do think I would know if I was in- oh, no.", he finished breathlessly. He squeezed Dean's hand.

" What? I sat with you for two hours and you didn't have contractions then.", Sam couldn't remember Castiel writhing in pain like he was now when they were looking for names.

" They were not this intense, I could breath through them.", Castiel's breaths were becoming heavier and more ragged.

" So what do we do?", Dean asked.

" Get him to your room, I'll get what I need.", Sam, given the task to deliver the baby, sprinted to the kitchen. Bobby followed Dean and Castiel.

\--

" It's been three hours and he's done nothing, but scream. What the hell is happening?", Dean paced back and forth outside his bedroom door. Bobby leaned against the wall, watching him.

" I don't know if you knew prior to today, but childbirth is a painful process, what with a living thing coming out of another living thing. Relax, I'm sure Sammy's got it all under control." On cue, a series of loud, profanity laced bellows, from Sam and Casteil, came from the bedroom.

" Get it out of me, dammit!"

" I'm trying!"

" Yeah, under control.", Dean muttered.

" You gonna go in there and help out?", Bobby quipped. The thought made Dean squeamish.

" Idjit."

\--

Nine hours later, around two in the morning, Sam came out of the bedroom into an empty hallway. He heard something going on back in the main room.

" No, this goes here.", Dean insisted.

" No, it doesn't."

" Fine, but my kid's crib better not break, or I'm coming after you.", Dean sat back and let Bobby take over the construction of the crib. Sam cleared his throat to make his presence known. Dean and Bobby stood, crib forgotten.

" Cas is fine, he and the baby are sleeping.", Sam happily reported. Dean wrapped his brother in a tight hug, soon to be followed by Bobby. Dean ran to his bedroom, opened the door quietly, and saw Castiel sound asleep on the bed. Sam and Bobby stood in the doorway, both smiling warmly. Dean's attention went from Castiel to the baby in his arms. Dean's, comparatively, large thumb grazed the baby's cheek. The child wiggled, but didn't wake. However, the small movement was enough to make Castiel's eyes flutter open. 

" Hey, how ya feeling?", Dean gently sat beside him.

" Drained, but I can already feeling some of my strength coming back.", he said.

" That's good news.", Dean smiled.

" Dean."

" Yeah?"

" We're going to have to think of different names."

" What do you mean?"

" She's a girl, Dean.", Castiel said warmly. Dean was speechless. 

" W-What...are...I-I thought..."

" Please, don't pass out again.", Castiel's brow furrowed with honest worry. 

" No, I'm fine, really. It's just...wow. A girl. This oughtta be fun.", a yawn caught their attention. Dean and Castiel caught Sam covering his mouth, turning his head away in a sad attempt to hide his fatigue.

" Why don't you go to bed, Sammy? You've had a rough day.", Bobby said.

" I've had a rough day?", Sammy joked.

" Well, at least they got a kid out of it.", Bobby gestured to the baby girl. Sam yawned again in response.

" Go to bed, Sammy. Get some sleep.", Dean said.

" Alright, fine. You remember how to put the diapers on?", he asked.

" Yes.", Dean answered blankly.

" And remember how to make a bottle?"

" Yes.", Dean droned.

" And how to swaddle her?"

" Yes! Yes, Sam, I remember."

" Alright, alright. Since you remember, you better not wake me up to ask me to show you again.", Sam walked away.

" Hey, Sam. Real quick, one question .", Bobby stopped him.

" Yeah, Bobby."

" How do you know about all this baby stuff?", Bobby tilted his head. Sam peaked once more to the sleeping baby before looking back at Bobby.

" I, uh, I researched it.", he answered. Neither Bobby nor Dean, who'd overheard, were convinced, but let Sam go to bed anyway.

\--

" Castiel's given birth.", Uriel said.

" I want that thing dead.", Zachariah spat. He and Uriel walked through Heaven's gardens. 

" I can gather some angels-"

" No, you do it. That way, I'll know it'll get done right.", Zachariah stopped him. 

" I'll go now."

" No, give it some time. I'm not particularly a fan of the Winchesters or Castiel and, as much as I want that abomination wiped out of existence, I want to hurt them in the worst way.", his voice was deadly.

" Yes, sir.", Uriel nodded. Working in the gardens, as always, was Joshua. He listened to Uriel and Zachariah. He was disgusted by their desire to get rid of an innocent life. He couldn't start trouble too early though. If he warned them now, Castiel would wreak havoc on anyone and anything that threatened the well being of his offspring, Joshua had seen in with other angels who had birthed nephilims in the past. Then, they'd have to deal with the Winchesters, who were forces to be reckoned with as it was, much less grieving and royally pissed. He would have to listen for a little while longer and time it just right. But what, exactly, was he getting himself into?

\--

" My lord.", the demon pathetically called to Crowley.

" What do you want?", he took a sip from the glass he held in his hand.

" The Winchesters and the angel-"

" What about them?", he pressed.

" They have given birth to a nephilim.", he shook under Crowley's burning eyes.

" I know that. You don't think I can feel it? That thing's thrown everything out of balance.", he spat.

" Do you want us to-"

" No! Do not go near that child, Castiel, or the Winchesters. Not even Bobby Singer or anyone else they hold dear. Do you understand me? Read my lips, maggot. If you go near them with the intent to harm, I will personally smite your sorry carcass myself and feed you to the hounds! Am I understood?", he slammed his fist down on his throne.

" Y-Yes-", the demon stuttered.

" Good, now go tell the others.", and with that, the demon was gone. Crowley swirled the remainder of the amber colored liquid in his glass.

" Bullocks.", he whispered to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

" Tina, please, stop crying. Shhh, calm down. You're too loud for everyone else.", Castiel cooed calmly to his daughter. He bounced her gently as she screamed and cried. Her wails shook the bunker. Dean, Sam, and Bobby had already left for fear of the safety of their ear drums. That left Castiel to soothe the eight month old child. She held a teething ring tight in her left hand and swung it around to emphasize the fact that she was, indeed, upset. The sound of thunder and rain pouring outside only added to the noise.

" I know this is painful, love, but teeth are important.", he continued, his low, gravelly voice bringing Tina some comfort in her own discomfort. Not soon enough, her cries were reduced to hiccups. Her grip on the teething ring remained strong, though. Castiel sat down and ran his fingers through her surprisingly thick, dark brown, tightly curled hair. He had already memorized the exact spots on her face that had freckles, contrasting with her fair skin. He looked at the eyes he loved so much. Her left eye was apple green, identical to Dean's and her right eye was the same crystal blue as his own. Tina looked around the room before she fixed her limited gaze on her father. Her flushed cheeks were stained with tears, but that didn't stop the loud, heavenly laugh that erupted from her. Her free hand made several attempts to touch Castiel's stubbly cheeks. 

" See? It only hurts for a little while, love.", he kissed her forehead. They sat and waited for Dean, Sam, and Bobby to come back.

\--

Dean, Sam, and Bobby tiptoed down the stairs and across the bunker. They found Castiel and Tina on the couch, the latter sound asleep.

" She okay now?", Dean whispered. He received a nod from Castiel. Sam carefully reached into the bag he was carrying and pulled out a white tube. On it was written 'Numbing Cream'. Castiel looked at the bottle skeptically. 

" For her teeth.", Sam mouthed, gesturing to his own teeth. Bobby set the two pizza boxes he was carrying on the coffee table. Dean sat next to Castiel on the couch, while Sam and Bobby sat in the two recliners they had recently aquired. The three men ate as the angel looked at his baby. Thunder boomed again, shaking the earth below it. 

" Sounds like it's getting bad.", Bobby said lowly. Sam nodded in agreement. " It is wintertime. There's bound to be a storm or two before the snow comes.", Sam said. Castiel's eyes fell back on Tina.

" I suppose.", he sighed. With nothing else to do, they ate the pizzas in front of them while Dean and Castiel fawned over Tina. 

\--

Two months passed and Tina was sitting next to Sam on the floor, babbling brightly and making very animated motions with her tiny hands. She looked up at her uncle and he nodded as she said what she had to say.

" Mhmm. I see. Uh-huh. Interesting.", he said during her brief pauses. There were papers spread out around them. Each had sloppily drawn pictures illustrated by, both, Sam and Tina. He was the only one in the bunker today. Castiel was reluctantly dragged out by Dean and Bobby to investigate a case. In the midst of her babbling, Tina grabbed at her necklace. It was a small, gold necklace with a piece of metal that had her name engraved in it. Dean got it for her when she turned six months old. She seemed to enjoy holding it sometimes. 

" Are you hungry, Tina.", the shrill laugh that Tina gave was enough for Sam to assume the affirmative. He picked her up and brought her to the kitchen. Sam opened a jar of baby food, mashed carrots and peas, she took some in a small, brightly colored spoon. She turned away from the spoon and let out a whimper.

" Come on, Tina, it's good.", he smiled. She looked at the spoon again with the same face that Castiel seemed to look at everything with. She opened her mouth and Sam brought the baby food closer. She ate it and deemed it passable. The remainder of lunch went smoothly. They went back to playing, then it was time for a diaper change, then it was nap time. Tina slept in her crib in one of the spare rooms and Sam did some research in the main room. All was quiet for about an hour when he heard a hellish cry. Before he could comprehend what he was doing, he found himself in Tina's nursery. There was no baby in the crib and Uriel standing in the middle of the room with an angel blade in his hand.

" What the hell did you do to her? Where is she?", he yelled.

" I didn't get the chance to do anything, she just disappeared.", he grimaced. He was gone in a second, leaving Sam standing wide eyed, speechless, furious, and guilty.

\--

" What do you mean she just disappeared?", Dean shouted.

" I-I don't know...she was...I put her down for a nap and I went to-"

" You left her! Why the hell did you leave her?", Dean spat.

" You leave her all the time!", Sam fired back.

" Am I really the best example to be following?"

" Where is my daughter?", Castiel broke up the brothers with a loud, booming tone.

" I have no idea, Cas. I'm so sorry. Dean's right, I shouldn't have left her. Maybe she'd-"

" It's too late for 'maybe', Sam. You said Uriel was here, that means Heaven knows about her, probably has known about her, and now they want to do something about it.", Bobby interjected.

" But he said he didn't get the chance to do anything.", Sam recalled.

" You think someone else got her?", Dean suggested darkly.

" Of what little I've read about neph-"

" Don't you dare call her that!", Castiel roared.

" Tina's kind. Even when they're this young, they've got localization powers, like angels and demons.", Bobby finished.

" So, that means she could have gotten away.", Dean said hopefully.

" Perhaps.", Castiel replied optimistically.

" How do we get her back?", Sam asked. They all exchanged looks. There was suddenly a breeze blowing through the bunker. Joshua appeared and saw the looks on their faces.

" I'm too late.", he concluded.

" What?", Dean asked.

" They've already taken her."

" You knew about it?", Castiel's tone was dangerous. Fury mixed with heartbreak and betrayal.

" Listen to me. I heard Zachariah and Uriel talking when your daughter was first born. I wanted to warn you, I did, and I thought about doing it immediately, but I knew if I did, you'd start another war. That's the last thing anybody needs. So, I figured I'd gather more information and time it just right. I now see where that's gotten me. I am sorry, Castiel. I wish I'd warned you sooner.", Joshua lowered his head in shame. Castiel saw the reasoning behind his fellow angel's actions and, no matter had badly he wanted to be, he could not be angry with Joshua.

" I just want my daughter back.", his voice cracked. He felt his hand being wrapped in another and looked to Dean.

" Me too, baby."

\--

Everything around Tina was dark and warm. She crawled and looked around, though her vision wasn't very focused. She heard voices and followed them. They didn't sound familiar to her, but it was better than being alone. There were big doors that were slightly ajar. The voices came from inside, one voice in particular sounded angry. Tina pushed onward fearlessly, however.

" My lord, I-"

" I don't want to hear your excuses, you stupid, insufficient worm! Get me more souls, or you will pay dearly. Do you under stand me?", in response to his question, the man received a high pitched giggle.

" Lord Crowley, there's a baby in the throne room.", a shaking demon reported.

" I'm not blind, you nitwit.", he snapped. Crowley narrowed his eyes on the child.

" Bring it here.", he ordered. Instantly, about ten demons rushed toward the child, scaring her and making her burst into tears.

" You useless pieces of- oh, for God's sake.", Crowley grumbled and got up off his throne. He marched stiffly to the stunned circle of demons and pushed them out of the way. Crowley picked Tina up and brought her back to the throne. Her cries echoed off the walls, but with a snap of his fingers, Crowley produced a teddy bear. Tina's frightened cries subsided and she grabbed the stuffed animal. The demons watched in awe. This annoyed Crowley greatly.

" Don't stand there! I've just made it very clear that you have work to do. Do it!", he ordered. An amused sound came from Tina as the demons scrambled out of the throne room.

" And as for you...", Crowley saw the shiny piece of jewelry around Tina's neck.

" Valentina Mary...Winchester...", the last part fell from Crowley's lips slowly, almost hesitantly.

" What are you doing here? I suppose some angel had the gall to come after you, huh? Used your get away powers, didn't you?", he lightly tapped Tina's nose, making her giggle. She chewed her teddy bear's ear delightfully.

" Well, darling, I've got good news and bad news. Bad news is I can't take you back. Well, not yet, anyway. Good news is you can stay with me.", he smiled. Tina reached for his cheek, covered in stubble, just like Castiel's. Crowley then realized how inadequately his kingdom was prepared for housing a child.

" Looks like we have some shopping to do. Haven't we, darling?"


	7. Chapter 7

Walking in the streets of Barcelona, Spain, Crowley held Tina firmly against his chest. Her head swiveled wildly, taking in all the sights as she hugged her teddy bear. Set on instilling the child with some sense of style, Crowley had taken her to many expensive shops. She was currently clad in a white dress with red roses bordering the hem and a red ribbon around the middle that tied in a bow in the back. Crowley had gotten the dress in Rome while making some deals there. 

" Look, darling.", Crowley stopped and pointed into a shop window. Tina looked, babbling quietly to herself. Crowley hummed lowly before snapping his fingers and walking away, counting that as the sixteenth piece of clothing that would appear in Tina's room back in Hell. They walked for a while, enjoying the chilly weather. Tina looked at Crowley and patted against his chest with her mouth open and began to whine.

" Hungry, darling? Let's see what Barcelona has to offer us.", he smiled at her. Tina giggled, looking around at the city again, having a splendid day with Crowley.

\--

Sam and Bobby had completely immersed themselves into finding out what happened to Tina. They contacted everyone that they thought would be able to help them in any way. They had hardly slept for the entire two months that she had been gone. When they did sleep, however, it was face down in a book or a laptop keyboard. 

" Sammy, you think we should talk to more angels. Maybe Hannah, her and Cas seem to be good friends.", Bobby suggested. 

" I don't know if getting more angels involved would be in Tina's best interest.", he replied.

" Cas's gotta have somebody up there willing to help him.", Bobby rubbed his face, trying to will sleep away a little while longer. 

" I guess.", Sam said.

" Go ask him."

" What?"

" Ask him. You haven't left that chair all day and your joints are bound to lock up if you don't move soon. You're too young to have knee problems. And Cas hasn't left the nursery since... Just go, Sammy. I bet he'll give you everything you need to get her back home.", Bobby smirked, his mood lightening. Sam stood slowly, feeling his joints pop with stiffness. He didn't want to look Castiel in the face, he hadn't after Tina disappeared. Sam neared the nursery and gently knocked on the door that was already slightly open. He didn't get a reply, but he entered anyway.

" Uh, hey, Cas.", he started awkwardly. Castiel was sitting in a rocking chair next to Tina's crib. The mobile hanging above looked like a merry-go-round with little, beautifully crafted horses slowly going in circles above the empty pillow. His eyes were dull, his face blank and unshaven, his shoulders slumped. Sam felt the pit in his stomach start to grow. He had done this to Castiel. He was the reason the angle hadn't left the nursery in so long. 

" I need some information.", he continued painfully. Castiel didn't seem to acknowledge his existence. Sam took one step closer and shoved his hands in his pockets. 

" Do you know anyone in Heaven that could help us? That may have heard about Zachariah and Uriel's plan like Joshua. Someone that would help us.", Sam saw Castiel's brow twitch as if Sam was too close to him, even though they were a good twelve feet apart. Castiel remained silent. Sam took this as his cue to leave. Hoping that at the last minute, just as Sam was about to go, Castiel would give him a name, like in the movies. Sam didn't hear a name, though. Not as he passed through the doorway and his chest sunk, not as he walked down the hall and his fists clenched, not as he entered the main room and his eyes stung, not even as he sat down and his breathing got ever so slightly heavier. 

" No dice?", Bobby asked as he looked up from his book. Sam shook his head and stared at his computer screen, trying to calm himself down enough to continue working. He had to find Tina. He had to make everything right again. Why did he have to screw up all the time?

\--

" Where is it?", Zachariah bellowed. Uriel flinched and looked at his fellow angel.

" I still don't know. What part of that don't you understand. I'm pulling all the strings I can, but no one wants to look for a nephilim. I can't find it by myself."

" Well, it looks like you'll have to."

" For someone that wants this nephilim so badly, you don't seem to be lifting any fingers to help.", Uriel hissed.

" I told you to do the job because I thought you'd do it right. I expect you to get it done.", Zachariah shoved his finger in Uriel's face. Uriel had half a mind to stab Zachariah with the angel blade concealed in his suit sleeve, but, instead, his face twisted in pent up anger and he walked away.

\--

Sam fell asleep with his arms folded around his head on his laptop keyboard. Every once in a while, he would mumble something that Bobby found incoherent. As the night went on, though, his words became steadily clearer.

" S'port th'head...tes' 'n yer wrist...", he murmured. Bobby raised an eyebrow and went back to reading. He was looking up what he could about the extent of nephilim powers.

" Teeth...six months...walk...ten months...", Sam mumbled some more. His words were more complete now. Bobby ignored him for the moment, writing some things down in a notebook. Apparently, nephilims had a lot of the same powers as angels. Some were to a lesser degree, or could come and go randomly, but it all depended on the individual nephilim and did not apply to them all. There wasn't much more information beyond that. He opened another book and stifled a yawn. Footsteps from the hall made him look up. Dean walked in dressed to go somewhere. Bobby was surprised, since Dean had been just about as scarce as Castiel.

" Where ya headed?", Bobby asked. Dean didn't answer until he was halfway up the stairs. 

" Store."

" Jackson...nice name...Jess...", Dean and Bobby shared confused looks.

" He asleep?", Dean inquired, leaning over the rail of the stairs.

" No, Dean. He's making pancakes.", Bobby answered sarcastically. Dean rolled his eyes and walked back down the stairs.

" The store can wait a little bit. I wanna know who Jackson is.", Dean pulled out a chair and sat down across from Bobby, setting the car keys in front of him.The tension in the air thickened. Dean wanted to talk to somebody. Cas, mostly, but he didn't seem up to it, yet. Dean silently begged Bobby to start up a conversation about anything in the world. 

" Jess, it's okay...", Sam mumbled. 

" Must be having a bad dream.", Bobby said.

" Been there.", Dean replied.

" He was talking about supporting heads and testing wrists earlier.", Bobby added.

" Was he?", Dean tried to keep the small talk alive. 

" Why are you going to the store at this time of night?"

" I figured I'd try and get Cas something to make him feel better. I don't really know what to get a grieving angel, though.", Dean looked down at his lap.

" I can see how that'd be difficult. How are you doing?"

" I'm pissed. I'm sad. Everything I usually am times a thousand.", he answered. Bobby nodded, seeing this openness as a breakthrough for the emotionally unavailable man who had just lost his child. 

" I think I can understand that.", he said simply, nodding his head.

" You find anything good?", Dean asked.

" Just that Tina's kind's armed with some strong stuff. Besides localization, she could have powers like regeneration, super senses, voice mimicry, pyrokinesis, telekinesis, and things like that.", he listed. Dean's brow raised, clearly impressed. 

" I could help you. Ya know, until Sleeping Beauty wakes up."

" Knock yourself out.", Bobby slid a book across the table. Suddenly, Sam shot up. He almost made his laptop hit the floor, but Dean caught it. Sam's breathing was labored and his eyes were red. 

" You okay there?", Dean set the laptop back in front of Sam. Sam couldn't look at his brother, but would be lying if he said he wasn't a little curious about why he was out of his room.

" Yeah, just a bad dream.", he said breathlessly.

" Bad dreams about Jackson and Jess?", Bobby asked. 

" What?"

" You were talking in your sleep.", Dean answered. Sam avoided Dean's gaze and looked at the laptop screen. 

" I don't want to talk about it.", he said. 

" C'mon, Sammy. It couldn't have been that bad."

" Dean-", Bobby tried. Sam stared at the laptop, typing furiously.

" Tell us."

" I don't think-", he attempted again. Sam's jaw clenched and he desperately tried to ignore Dean.

" Open up, Sammy.", Dean nudged Sam's arm.

" I had a dream about when Jess and I tried to have a baby! Are you happy now?", he bellowed. He slammed his fist against the tabletop. Bobby and Dean stared at him with wide eyes in stunned silence.

" I dreamed about when I looked up all there was to know about babies! I dreamed about when she looked up baby names! I dreamed about when she miscarried! I dreamed about how she cried and cried for weeks! I dreamed about how she was died and how we never got the chance to try again! Are you satisfied, Dean? Was that open enough for you?", his voice cracked several times and tears threatened to fall. 

" I didn't know.", Dean whispered.

" That's right. You didn't know. You should learn to mind your goddamn business sometimes.", Sam saw the car keys on the table and snatched them. Dean was too shocked to stop him. Dean and Bobby watched Sam leave, the heavy door closing roughly behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Tina sat off to the side of Crowley's throne room. She played with two rag dolls Crowley had gotten for her from Russia. Surrounding her were four hellhounds. She waved the dolls in their faces playfully and the unexpectedly calm dogs nipped and played in response. Her sweet, shrill laughing filled the room and contrasted against Crowley's furious bellows that shook Hell to its core. Tina turned and she saw Crowley snap his fingers. The two demons in front of him, the ones that had pissed the good king off to no end, dropped to the ground, causing the other demons to visibly flinch. Tina tilted her head, her wild, dark brown curls swaying with the movement. Dismissing it shortly after, she dropped her dolls and, with the help of a nearby table, stood up to greet her favorite hellhound. As the massive demonic canine entered the throne room to join the other lounging hounds, he let out a low, throaty, gruff bark to make himself known.

" Yeah, yeah, Leo. We see you. Take your nap.", Crowley waved the dog off. The pitch black hellhound walked to the corner and saw Tina standing, chubby arms spread as wide as they could go, bright smile with tiny, pearly teeth showing. Leo quickened his pace, black fur bouncing with each gigantic step. He brought his huge head down and lightly bumped Tina's body. She could barely wrap her arms around his neck to give him a hug. 

" Wee-oh!", she giggled. The demons looked at Tina, then redirected their attention back to Crowley when he cleared his throat expectantly. 

" What did I tell you? She's none of your business.", he reminded them all sternly. They all nodded stiffly, shifting their feet nervously. Crowley went on telling his subjects what he wanted of them, sending some to Earth, sending others to various spots in Hell. Meanwhile, Tina had the time of her life with Leo and the dolls. Suddenly, a flash crossed over the little girl's brain. It was a little fuzzy, but it was like she had seen it before. Tina could feel the warmth of someone holding her close, like Crowley did when she was scared. She could hear voices, different ones. They didn't sound like any of the demons she recognized and it sure wasn't Crowley. Tina could briefly see a man with sparkling blue eyes and dark hair, then another man with bright green eyes and freckles. The third man had a hat and hair covering his face. Then she saw the man she remembered the most. He had longer hair and a sweet smile. That man made her happy. She giggled at the memory of them coloring as she told him stories. She remembered when he took her into the kitchen and he gave her bland tasting mashed food from a small jar. Then, Tina recalled the darker parts of the memory. She remembered seeing him when she fell asleep in her crib, but he wasn't there when she woke up. She saw a stranger with a bright ring above his head, huge wings, and a sharp thing in his hand. He looked mean and he terrified Tina. She cried out, trying to alert the man that thee was someone there that didn't belong.

\--

Crowley heard whimpers from the corner that grew louder. He rushed to Tina, shushing her quietly. Crowley could tell that something had scared her by the way she clung to his suit and how her eyes were shut tight. 

" Oh, darling, what's the matter?", he soothed her, rubbing small circles across her back as she let out body-wrenching sobs. Crowley eyed the hellhounds, who were all standing up and just as concerned and confused as Crowley was, Leo especially. 

" Shh, Tina. You're okay. Everything's fine, darling. There's nothing to cry about.", then, even though he knew it would happen sometime, what he dreaded the most finally happened. In her distressed state, some of Tina's powers had fleetingly awakened. Small fires started, things fell off of walls and tables, and furniture shook. Crowley hoped she would get to be a little older before her tantrums, however rare, would bring her powers to life. Crowley snapped, setting everything back the way it was. By now, her sobs subsided and she was a little, quivering, hiccuping, sniffling mess in his arms. Her head was placed firmly in the crook of his neck. Crowley walked to his throne, whistled for Leo to follow him, and patted Tina's back gently. 

" What's got you so upset, Tina? I hope it's not what I think it is. Memories are hard sometimes, darling. You're probably seeing your parents, huh?", his voice rumbled in his chest, bringing the nephilim closer and closer to sleep. 

" But just think about it. Soon, you'll be a force to be reckoned with, but it's been a while since I've righted some wrongs and I think I'll start with you, darling. Of course, I have my own selfish reasons for making sure you don't turn out like the others. They won't get to you, not if I can help it. You'll grow up and be an upstanding citizen, I bet.", he rocked the drowsy child back and forth slowly. 

\--

Sam looked out on the nearby city from a forest clearing. He leaned against the hood of the Impala, his eyes watching the lively activity in the late night hours. His heart still burned from his dream and from spilling the contents of said dream into Dean's lap. He realized that this would make Dean reach a whole new level of pity for him. Sam didn't want to think about that now, though. He didn't want to think about anything. Now, he wanted to watch, listen, and feel the dull normality that radiated off the glowing city not so far away. 

" My sincerest condolences, Sam.", someone suddenly joined him.

" Yeah?", he shot back, harsher than intended.

" I did not know you had once tried for a baby.", they stood beside him. 

" There's a lot you don't know, Cas. A lot you can't see even with your fancy angel vision", Sam said, not taking his eyes off the lights that the buildings emitted. 

" Dean sends his apologies."

" Does he?"

" He didn't actually say it. I sensed it before I came here. His broken heart aches for you.", there was a long pause.

" Not just for me.", he mumbled.

" In light of this newfound information, I ask you to give Dean some more time to grieve. From one parent to another.", Castiel glanced up at Sam.

" You and Dean can have all the time you need. And I don't think it count as being a parent if the kid was never really yours.", Sam looked down at his shoes. Castiel faced Sam fully, brow tensed and mouth pressed in a line.

" You were a parent, Sam. You may have never seen or held your child, but from the moment of conception until the end, you were that baby's parent.", Castiel poked his finger into Sam's chest. Sam sighed, straightening his posture.

" I'm just sorry I screwed this up for you and Dean."

" Heaven would have come anyway. I have accepted that fact. We had no way of knowing when they would try to take her. We, also, had no way of knowing if she could use her powers or not. I have tried tracking her, but it's as if she is not on Earth at all. It is not your fault, Sam. We would have faced this eventually."

" Castiel.", someone else said.

" Hannah. Joshua.", Castiel turned around. The three angels hugged. 

" What are you doing here?"

" Father contacted Joshua. He sensed the imbalance and said he knows where your child is.", Hannah said, her tone light.

" Where is she?", Castiel asked hurriedly, Sam leaned forward, wholeheartedly interested.

" That's the thing. He said we have to wait.", Joshua brought the bad news.

" Why?"

" He says it's not safe. He wants one grandchild to survive. He wants Zachariah and the others to calm down again.", Joshua answered.

" You came here to tell me that I still have to way to get to my daughter?", Castiel snapped.

" Hey, Cas. At least someone knows where Tina is and we have God on our side.", Sam tried to sound optimistic.

" Her name is Tina?", Hannah asked.

" Valentina Mary Winchester.", Castiel told her.

" Dean's?", she smiled. Castiel nodded. Sam looked at Joshua, who looked like he could name a thousand other places that he'd rather be at the moment.

" How many angels are on Zachariah's side?", Sam inquired.

" Not nearly as many as there are on Castiel's.", Joshua answered. Castiel was ripped from his and Hannah's conversation.

" There are angels that want Tina alive?"

" Nobody liked it when Zachariah and his little posse attacked and drove the other nephilims to their deaths. Though, they did not exactly like it when Hell made them nearly destroy the world, either. God says there's something different this time. He did not say what, but he sounded sure if it, so I have no reason to doubt.", Joshua said confidently. 

" But Zachairah is getting restless. He's sending angels everywhere. I don't think he will get to her, though. Father will not let him, I am sure."

" Uh, Joshua. What did you mean when you said 'drove the other nephilims to their deaths'?", Sam asked.

" Well, the only way a nephilim can die is suicide."

" Joshua, please don't say that word.", Hannah nudged the other angel.

" Right, I am sorry. Zachariah hunted them down so viciously that the only escape was death.", Joshua provided grimly.

" But Father is watching her?", Castiel reassured himself more than asked the question.

" I believe he is.", Joshua nodded. Hannah smiled at Castiel, her expression full of hope. 

" I still want to find her.", Castiel said.

" In due time, Castiel. We have to get going now. We will return when he have more information.", the two angels were gone, leaving Castiel and Sam a little less hopeless than before.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam and Castiel made it back to the bunker early in the morning. Dean and Bobby were asleep, both laying their heads in their respective books on the table. Sam knew Castiel was eager to tell Dean that his almighty father was keeping an eye on their daughter, but didn't want to wake his beloved up. 

" I think I'll head to bed, too. Unless you want me to stick around.", Sam suggested.

" I am fine here. I'll wait until they wake up. Perhaps, I can bring up sort of breakfast when they wake up. Get some sleep, Sam. I wish you a more pleasant dream than your last one.", Castiel kept his voice low. Sam went to his room, pulled back the covers, and fell asleep as doo as his head hit the pillow. Something that hadn't happened in years. 

\--

At around six thirty in the morning, Bobby rose slowly, wincing as his back cramped. He saw Castiel sitting at the opposite end of the table.

" Morning.", he mumbled. Castiel returned the greeting in his usual monotone manner. Bobby looked at the messy table. Books strewn everywhere and beer bottles scattered around. He blinked and rubbed his tired eyes. When he opened them again, in front of him was bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, toast, different jellies, and fruit.

" Uh..."

" I appreciate how hard you've been working to try and find Tina. I am sorry I have not been of assistance to you or Sam.", Castiel apologized. Bobby looked at the angel, sympathy pooling behind wise eyes.

" Dont worry about it, Cas. You've been through a tough time, gotta get back on the tracks. Won't be much help if you're running on an empty tank. Take as much time as you need to get yourself together again.", Bobby plucked a piece of bacon from the fancy dish in front of him. Castiel looked around awkwardly for a moment before breaking the painful silence.

" How has Dean been?", he asked stiffly.

" You haven't talked to him?", Bobby questioned.

" No. I'm afraid we haven't talked much since Tina disappeared.", he looked down shamefully.

" Why not?"

" I am not sure of Dean's reasons, but he reminds me too much of her. When I look at him, I see her. Her freckles, her smile. They have the same laugh, I hear it all the time.", Castiel looked at Dean, still peacefully asleep. No doubt, though, he would soon be woken up by the smell of bacon. 

" You got to work this out. I still stand by that 'take your time' thing, but, and I'm not saying this for sure, if we don't get her back, you'll still have to face Dean sooner or later.", Castiel shot Bobby one of the dirtiest looks he had ever given in his entire existence. How dare he suggest that they'd never find Tina? He saw the man's point, though, and knew he needed to confront Dean. Seeing reason, Castiel rose from his seat and walked to Dean. He placed his hand softly on the sleeping Winchester's shoulder and they were both gone, leaving Bobby alone with the extensive breakfast layout, not that he was complaining.

\--

Tina screamed at the top of her lungs, balling her hands into little fists and wiping furiously at her eyes. Everyone was curled on the floor, covering their ears and squeezing their eyes shut. Tina was in the middle of the floor, alone and miserable. Her right hand flailed about for a second, grasping for Crowley, who wasn't there. He wasn't even in Hell. He was called to make a deal somewhere. Tina had been left to the limited competence of the demons and the unwavering loyalty and adoration of the hellhounds, all of which were crouched far away and whimpering. Tina's powers made themselves known again. Fires started, bigger this time, anything that wasn't nailed down flew across the room, crashing into walls. Some things disappeared completely. Tina was in immense pain, her shoulders and back burning. She reached as best she could, but there was no way for the nephilim to alleviate herself of the ever growing discomfort. The demons had waited it out for hours, hoping she would stop soon. Finally, their wishes came true. They opened their eyes and looked around. The crying was gone and so was Tina. They didn't mind that the brat wasn't there anymore, but they knew for damn sure that Crowley would have each and every one of their heads for this. 

\--

Dean woke up by a lake with Castiel. He was seated in a lawn chair on a dock. Castiel stood beside him, looking up at the sky. Not having talked in months, this sudden closeness was uncomfortable.

" Hey, Cas.", Dean offered.

" Hello.", Castiel kept his eyes away from Dean.

" What're we doing out here?"

" Bobby said we needed to talk."

" We couldn't have done hat at the bunker?"

" You know we couldn't carry a proper conversation at the bunker, Dean.", Castiel finally looked at him.

" Okay, you wanna talk so bad? Shoot.", Dean stood to meet Castiel.

" We have to talk about Tina, Dean.", he said. Dean felt his heart skip a beat. Not the way it did when the first time he kissed Castiel. In a heart palpitation, oncoming heart attack, soon to be dead sort of way. 

" Oh.", was all he could say.

" I...I can't look at you, though.", Castiel added.

" Me neither. You look like her. Can't handle that right now.", Dean knew Castiel had the same reason. Castiel stayed quiet, figuring out what he should say next. Dean thought he could help out a little, however painful it would be.

" She really was the perfect mix of the two of us, though. Down to both of our eyes. Kid's amazing.", he recalled.

" My hair and skin with your freckles.", Castiel joined in.

" And she had the same looks you have.", Dean smiled fondly at the memory.

" What looks?", the angel was genuinely confused.

" That one. Every time she saw something new, she had that same look. And the one that you get when you're just sitting and you look pissed.", Dean chuckled. Castiel nodded, remembering how Sam had explained that he had something humans refered to as 'resting bitch face'. 

" But she laughed just like you.", they were quiet for a moment, remembering their short time with their daughter. It wasn't a bitter silence. No malice of any sort hung in the brisk air between them. It was a memorial of Tina. Taking time to really remember the love she brought. 

" I can't believe she's gone.", Dean sighed. Castiel nodded wordlessly. He reached for Dean's hand gently. Their fingers intertwined and they leaned on each other. 

" She's fine. You know that, right?", Dean ushered Castiel to the edge of the dock where they sat together.

" I do. Father is watching her. Joshua and Hannah told me."

" When did you see Joshua and Hannah?"

" Last night with Sam. I went to see him after he left the bunker. They said he wouldn't let anything happen to her. That he wanted her to survive.", Castiel said. Dean swallowed, an uneasy thought entering his mind.

" But...Tina- she's...I thought Heaven didn't like...", he knew that calling Tina a nephilim was, to Castiel, the equivalent of any number of racial slurs to humans. 

" Joshua said there are other angels that are on our side.", Castiel dodged Dean's concern. They sat for a long time, exchanging various memories of the short time they shared with Tina.


	10. Chapter 10

" What do you mean she's gone?", Crowley demanded.

" Sh-She was there a-and then she wasn't.", one of the demons sputtered. Crowley pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths.

" Explain to me, in the way that will anger me the least, what happened."

" She started crying and it got really loud. We couldn't even stand up. It went on for hours. She kept reaching behind her or something. Then, she was gone.", another demon explained.

" Reaching behind her? Bullocks.", Crowley hissed. He knew exactly what was happening to the distressed nephilim. This could end very badly for everyone. He looked around for some thugs he would need. Crowley stormed into Tina's nursery and got her teddy bear. As he walked back to the throne room, he let out a sharp, loud whistle. Hell hounds surrounded him dutifully. 

" Leo, with me.", he and the hound were soon gone.

\--

Dean walked through the woods. It was quiet, peaceful, but there was the constant feeling of underlying urgency. He didn't know where it came from, or what to do about it. The trees around him were tall and green and bursting with life. The next second, they were on fire. Bright orange and red flames flickering madly, spitting embers everywhere. The fire spread around him, turning everything to ash. The sky above, which had previously been cloudless and blue, was now blanketed with black clouds. There was lighting and thunder and rain pouring down. Dean was trapped. The fire surrounded him, growing fiercer by the second. Then he heard something, like a baby crying. He looked around wildly, trying to pinpoint the sound. It was suddenly right behind him. He turned and saw his daughter, but she was different. Her eyes were blood red and her teeth were sharp, like a shark's. She had wings, too. Huge wings that looked much too big for her little body. The feathers were black and dull. She was crying, but it wasn't deafening, like Dean remembered it to be. Dean ran to Tina, but something held him back. He reached for her, called for her, but he couldn't move. 

" Tina!", he cried. The child continued to cry, not paying attention to her father. The fire around them got closer and closer. He watched it envelope his daughter, her cries getting louder and more spine tingling. He wanted to get to her and save her, but he was still stuck in place.

" No!", Dean yelled out, but there was nothing he could do. Suddenly, he was free and able to move. He turned around and Zachariah stood behind him.

" It's for her own good, Dean.", the angel was gone, but his name was repeated over and over.

" Dean, Dean, Dean."

\--

Castiel shook Dean awake, the mad hitting his head against the headboard of the bed. 

" Cas? What? What's the matter?", he panicked.

" I know where she is, Dean. I can feel her again!", it was dark, but Dean could see the smile that he hadn't seen in a long time. There were quick, heavy footsteps thundering down the hall. The bedroom door burst open and Sam and Bobby, dressed in pajamas, were at the ready with sawed off shotguns, a bag of salt, a silver knife, and everything else one needed for a fight with the unknown.

" What's going on?", Sam asked, tired and confused.

" I found Tina.", was all Castiel said before he and Dean were gone. Sam and Bobby were stunned, left speechless and with slowly growing excitement. 

" What?", Bobby's brain was not awake enough for this. 

\--

Crowley tracked Tina to a forest. He could slightly feel her wavelength strengthen and weaken as he made many twists and turns. Leo followed faithfully, keeping up with his master. Sharp eyes searched endlessly. Leo perked up, hearing the familiar wailing from Tina. He nipped at Crowley's pants leg and ran toward the noise. Crowley followed the hound as best he could. Then, when it got too loud, Leo was on the ground, paws over his ears and whimpering, but his eyes were open and looking at Tina, who was sitting in a large clearing by herself. Crowley covered his ears, though it did little to help, and neared Tina. He saw the problem right away. He also saw the oncoming storm above them and the embers floating through the air that would likely burn the forest to the ground.

" Darling, there's no need for this. I'm here now, calm down.", Crowley said softly. Tina quieted a little and searched for the voice. She saw Crowey coming and reached up for him. He let go of his ears and picked Tina up.

" Look what I brought you.", he waved the teddy bear at her and she hugged it against her. Crowley wiped the tears away and held her close. That was difficult to do, though. With the big, awkward, black winds petrifying from her back. And her, now matching, deep red eyes were troubling as well. Crowley looked around, seeing that the embers in the air had died and fallen to the dirt. 

" See, darling? It's all better now. I bet those wings hurt, don't they. They're quite pretty, though. I'm sure you'll get used to them. And those eyes. Beautiful color, but I don't think everyone will like them.", these changes meant that Tina's powers were strengthening and maturing. Many nephilims hadn't lived past this stage, but the few who did almost ended the world. Crowley wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. 

\--

Dean and Castiel appeared in a wooded area. Castiel dragged Dean along beside him.

" Somewhere around here.", the angel muttered. Dean recognized this as the place in his dream. It got increasingly familiar as they went, which must have been a good sign.

" Here.", Castiel said confidently. They came to a clearing, but didn't expect to see Crowley and a hellhound fawning over his daughter. Crowley stood and watched over Tina playing with something they couldn't see. She held a teddy bear by the arm and flung it around cheerfully. Dean and Castiel walked into the clearing, determined to get their daughter back.

" Crowley! What the hell are you doing here?", Dean bellowed. The demon looked up and saw the fast approaching man and angel. 

" Hello, Dean, Castiel. I'm looking after your daughter. She's a lovely girl, very good taste in dresses, absolutely loves pestering incompetent subjects with me.", he gave a warm smile. He leaned down and picked Tina up. Dean wanted to snatch Tina out of his hands, but Castiel looked like he was about to beat him to it.

" Whay have you done to her? You wouldn't take care of her without a catch, Crowley.", the angel spat.

" How lowly do you think of me? I'll have you know that we have been having a very good time. We went all over the world and got pretty things to decorate her room. She even has a favorite hellhound. You can't see him, but he's staring at Dean, isn't he, darling?", Tina wrapped her tiny have around Crowley's finger and giggled at Leo's loan crouch and deep, threatening growl toward her father. 

" Wee-oh!", she chirped happily. The growling stopped and Leo was instantly sitting in front of Crowley, attention on Tina.

" She has wings?", Dean asked.

" Yes, she's only just gotten them. They hurt her dearly, but as time passes she'll get used to them. She'll have the ability to put them away as well. She should be able to control them soon. And her eyes will go back to the way they were soon enough.", he swayed from side to side as Tina started to nod off. Crowley could tell that if it weren't for the safety of his child, he would have attacked and possibly killed Crowley by now. 

" Do you remember the pictures, darling? The ones I showed you of your fathers. Here they are. Let's say a proper hello, shall we?", he brought Tina to Castiel, who extended his hands eagerly and held Tina a little too tightly. She squirmed, but looked up at his face. This felt familiar and safe. Nothing bad was going to happen. She looked back at Crowley, who seemed content at the moment. Tina turned to Castiel again and reached up. There was still the stubble covering his cheeks. Tina smiled, remembering a stubbly cheek before Crowley's. Tina seemed to concentrate on Castiel's face. She was much too young to collect the entire memory, but she had seen this person before and she knew she loved this person and the one standing next to him. Castiel passed Tina to Dean and Tina conducted the same exploration. This time, her wings flapped excitedly, making it hard for Dean to hold her. As best a barely one-year-old could, Tina decided that these men were okay. 

" Isn't this sweet?", they all turned to see Zachariah. Another deep growl left Leo, who was still by Crowley. Dean held Tina to his chest.

" What do you want?", Crowley rolled his eyes, sounding as if the angel's appearance inconvenienced him somehow. 

" I think you all know what I want."

" You're not laying a hand on her.", Castiel took a step closer. 

" That thing is an abomination, Castiel. You know that. It's going to destroy everything! It's nothing, it's scum. Hand it over to me so I can save everyone. Isn't that what you want to do, Castiel? Save people. Keeping that thing around isn't going to help.", Zachariah pointed to Tina. Castiel was about to stab Zachariah with his angel blade, but many more angels made their appearances. They all stood between Castiel and Zachariah.

" That child is not an 'it', Zachariah.", Hannah sounded personally offended.

" Father is looking after her, he won't let you harm her.", Joshua said. The other angels stood silently, glaring at Zachariah. 

" How could he? Nephilims are against Heaven's law."

" Father's word is law. Leave them be, Zachariah, come back to heaven, and stop this nonsense.", Joshua fired back. Zachariah seemed to consider the thought. 

" If that thing so much as causes a thunderstorm, you better believe I'll be after it.", he and the others disappeared, all except Joshua and Hannah. She approached Dean, who still had an iron grip on Tina. She looked to Castiel timidly.

" May I?", she asked. He nodded and Dean carefully passed Tina to Hannah. Tina was immediately fascinated with Hannah's long hair and grabbed a fist full. She didn't tug on it, which Crowley fully expected. Castiel turned to the demon, leaving the two other angels with Dean.

" Why did you care for her when you could have taken her to Heaven?", there was a sinister tone to his question.

" Because, Feathers, despite what you may believe, I am just as sick of Zachariah killing things as you are. I also am sick of her kind destroying the world all the time. No world, no souls for me. I decided to parent her until you came and found her. Or, in this case, she disappeared and we all found her."

" Why didn't you bring her to us?"

" To postpone this event as long as possible.", they looked at each other for a long time. They could hear the gentle coos coming from Hannah and the happy chuckles coming from Joshua.

" I owe you, Crowley."

" This is off the record, but would you allow me to visit once in a while.", he winked and walked toward Joshua, who was now holding Tina.

" Well, darling, I guess this is goodbye. Be good for your daddies, you hear? I'll come check up on you sometimes.", he brushed a thumb against her chubby cheek. Dean was about to refuse, but Castiel bumped him and gave him a look that said something along the lines of 'Deal with it.'

" I've got to be going now. I'll have her things brought to your bunker. Come, Leo.", and with that, he was gone. Dean didn't want to have to thank Crowley for what he'd done, but he knew he had to. 

" I do suppose you'll want to have her to yourselves.", Joshua handed Tina back to Castiel. 

" She's beautiful, Castiel.", Hannah smiled warmly. They were both gone a second later.

" Come on, let's go home. You got an uncle and a grandpa who've been dying to see you as much as we have.", Dean pressed a kiss to Tina's forehead. 

 

\--

Sam tried going back to sleep, but he couldn't. Had they really found Tina? Was she okay? Had Heaven gotten to her first? 

" Sam.", Castiel's voice hit his ears. He shot up in his bed and saw Castiel holding Tina and Dean standing beside them. 

" Oh my God. Is she okay? Is there-", he stopped when he saw her wings neatly folded against her back.

" She's great, Sammy. Wanna hold her?", Dean asked. That was the last thing Sam wanted to do. The last time they were together, Tina was gone for months. He opened his mouth to politely refuse, but nothing came out. 

" I understand if you don't.", Castiel spoke up. Sam nodded and settled for just watching his niece sleep against Castiel's shoulder.

" What's all this noise?", Bobby poked his head in the doorway.

" We got her back.", Dean turned to him. Bobby pushed all feelings of annoyance away and walked into the room.

" Lemme see her.", he smiled. Castiel carefully passed Tina to Bobby, trying not to wake her up.

" Where was she?", Sam asked.

" Crowley had her.", Dean said.

" What?", Bobby whispered. Gently touching Tina's fluffy feathers.

" He took care of her. She's okay, I already checked her over.", Castiel assured them. Bobby bounced Tina side to side when she began to wake up. She fell back asleep, everyone stayed quiet for a full minute. Castiel took Tina back and went to her room. He laid her down in the crib, something he missed doing immensely. Dean, Bobby, And Sam all followed, fearful that if they took their eyes off of her, she's be gone again. Sam looked at the new pile of dresses and dolls that appeared on the dresser.

" That wasn't here before.", he pointed.

" That's her stuff.", Dean began inspecting the dresses. They all looked expensive and of much better quality than anything Dean could afford. Then he looked at the dolls. They were ragdolls, each one was different. He picked one up and on the front of the doll's dress was a pocket. There was a folded up picture of Crowley and Tina taken in a photo booth. On the back was written 'Antwerp, Belgium'.

" She went to Belgium?", Dean passed the picture to Castiel. Sam picked up another one and looked in the pocket on the front of it.

" She went to Egypt, too.", he pulled out another photo with the location written on the back. 

" She's had quite a vacation, huh?", Bobby chuckled. 

" I guess she has.", Dean smiled. He was with his family again. He wasn't going to let anything tear them apart.


End file.
